Ladder bracket



Patented Jan. 31, 1950 LADDER BRACKET Charles S. Lombard and Bernard W. Lombard, North Baltimore, Ohio Application September 11, 1947, Serial No. 773,326

3 Claims.

This invention is directed to a ladder bracket and generally involves an independent mounting which may be removab-ly secured on the front or rear of a standing ladder to utilize the ladder an elevated support.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an integral bracket having ladder-- rung engaging clips with an intermediate frame involving parts which will properly support a scaffolding or the like in a secure position and a proper plane when the bracket is used on the front or rear of the ladders.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bracket in which theirame intermediate the ladder-rung engaging clips is of substantially triangular form in which each bar has an angle to the plane of the clips when the brackets are on one face of the ladder, so as to maintain that bar substantially horizontal, while the angle of the other bar will also be maintained substantially horizontal when the brackets are engaged with the ladder rungs on the opposite face of the ladder.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bracket formed at one end with a transverse bar at a substantially right angle to the plane of the bracket, with the bar terminally provided with ladder rung engaging clips, opening downwardly, the apex end of the bar having a ladder rung engaging clip, the end of the bar being formed with an upstanding projection or abutment to limit supported elements from slipping off the bar.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bracket in which the base of the triangular frame is at other than a right angle to each of the remaining bars of the frame, the respective angle being chosen so that the remaining bars may remain substantially h rizontal when the bracket is in use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanylng drawings, in which- Fig. l is a perspective view of the bracket.

2 an elevation showing the bracket secured to the outer faces of the ladders and carry- Secured at one end of the base 2 is a cross-bar 6, extending transversely at right angles to the base 2, and being of an appropriate length. for the purpose to be described. Each end of the bar 6 is provided with a hook-like clip 7 constituting a rung grip, preferably slightly resilient. The clips I are secured one at each end of the bar 6, extending below the bar and then curved. downwardly to about the level of the lower edge of the bar 6, opening downwardly, and slightl flared.

The lower end and forward edge of the bar 2; provided with a similar clip 8, the lower edge of which is secured in line with the lower edge of the bar 2, the upright 9 of the clip rising in. con; tact with and being rigidly secured to the edgeof the bar 2, then curved away from the bar 2 and opening downwardly to provide the lower open end of the clip forming the lower clip holding ladder rung grip.

The end of the bar 3 is provided with an upstanding stop or lug E0 to prevent 1atera1 displacement of any board or other article supported on the bars 3 of adjoining ladders. A corresponding abutment for the lower bar 4 is provided by the junction of the bars 3 and 4 as will be evident from Fig. 3, where the lower bar t is shown as providing the support.

It will be noted that the clips I are arranged on each side of the bar 2 and are laterally spaced from the bar, while the clip 8 is in line with the bar 2, thus enabling the bars-clips l and 8 to form a triangular supporting rung engaging means, with the base uppermost and the apex lowermost, to insure a relatively broader carrying means at the top of the bracket and a more direct support in the central line of the ladder at the lower end.

The bracket is a single integral structure, made of metal of sufficient strength to withstand the strain for which it is designed, and the clips are connected by welding or other connection while the frame l is constructed of a single piece of the material. The bracket is applied to the rungs of the ladder, the clips i being engaged with the upper rungs at the desired position and the clip 8 engaged with the next lower rung. The ladder, indicated at H, is of course capable of being placed at an incline with the bracket placed on the inner side of the ladder, as in Fig. 3, so that the scaiiolding to be supported is on the inner side of the ladder, or, as indicated on Fig. 4 the bracket is to be placed on the outer side of the ladder, thus arranging the scaffolding or other carrier on that side of the ladder as will carry such scaiiolding in the most convenient location for the work to be accomplished.

The bracket is, it will be noted to be conveniently connected on either side of the ladder without adjustment of any part or without change in the arrangement of the parts, and that thus the bracket may be termed a universal supporting bracket for supporting the scaffolding on either face of the ladder, merely by changing the position of the bracket from the front to the rear of the ladder or vice versa. Being of the form of an isosceles triangle in which the base angle is equal to the acute base angle of the inclined ladder, either the bar or leg 3 or the bar or leg 4 will assume horizontality dependin on which face of the ladder the frame is attached.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A bracket for attachment to ladders to function as a scaffold support comprising an open frame of the form of an isosceles triangle in which the angle between the base and a leg determines the acute angle which the supporting ladder is to form with a horizontal line, so that, when the bracket is attached, the ladder may b given the inclination necessary to bring the appropriate leg of the bracket into horizontality, that portion of the frame constituting the base of the triangle being of sufficient length to span at least two adjacent rungs of the ladder, and rung grips carried by said base whereby the bracket may be attached to the front face of the ladder in the same manner as to the rear face when one or the other of said legs will assume horizontality depending on the face to which the bracket is attached.

2. A bracket for attachment to ladders to function as a scaffold support comprising an open frame of the form of an isosceles triangle in which the angle between the base and a leg determines the acute angle which the supporting ladder is to form with a horizontal line, so that, when the bracket is attached, the ladder may be given the inclination necessary to bring the appropriate leg of the bracket into horizontality, that portion of the frame constituting the base of the triangle being of sufiicient length to span at least two adjacent rungs of the ladder, a bar carried at the upper end of said base at right angles thereto and at right angles to the plane of the frame, and rung grips carried one at each end of said bar and one at the lower end of said base whereby the bracket may be attached to the front face of the ladder in the same manner as to the rear face when one or the other of said legs will assume horizontality depending on the face to which the bracket is attached.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the frame at its apex is provided with an abutment lug lying in the plane of said frame but extending above the horizontal plane of said rung grip bar.

CHARLES S. LOMBARD. BERNARD W. LOMBARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 471,762 Shoop Mar. 29, 1892 588,345 Manning Aug. 17, 1897 988,823 Rush Apr. 4, 1911 1,154,923 Holden Sept. 28, 1915 

